The recent profusion of health care public opinion surveys hasn't quieted debate over the public's level of essential satisfaction with managed care. Different headlines trumpet different conclusions. As a health care survey professional, I'd like to suggest some ways to make sense of opinion surveys…

To a technophobe, "cyberspace" may seem as foreign the surface of Mars, and almost as threatening. But if you are uncomfortable with computers and don't go online, you're missing out on a professional revolution. Thousands of physicians are using commercial online services and the Internet, perfecting…

Prepayment or capitation plans make lots of sense for payers, and they can be good for conventional medical groups, too. But there are risks inherent in these programs, and most of them you can't insure against. Here are five things you should know before you sign that capitation contract:

Two groups of physicians in Florida have put a new twist on the old saying, "Beat them at their own game." Frustrated with HMOs that are run by insurance executives, they've emulated medical societies in Connecticut and several other states by starting their own HMOs. These physician-owned plans, they…